Félix Hernández lands on 10-day injured list with right shoulder strain

Felix Hernandez
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One day after notching his 2,500th career strikeout, Mariners hurler Félix Hernández landed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. In corresponding moves, the club selected the contract of right-handed reliever Parker Markel from Triple-A Tacoma, recalled reliever Dan Altavilla from Double-A Arkansas, and optioned outfielder Braden Bishop.

According to comments given by the pitcher on Sunday, Hernández said he experienced a pinching sensation while working through his last start, adding that his shoulder “just doesn’t feel right.” The full extent of his injury is currently unknown, though he’s expected to undergo an MRI following the Mariners’ series finale against the Red Sox. It’s not yet certain how long he’ll be out of commission.

While Hernández has a long history of arm injuries, this looks to be the first significant setback he’s experienced so far this season. Following Saturday’s disastrous start, during which he gave up a season-high seven runs shortly after recording strikeout no. 2,500 against Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis, he’s 1-4 through eight starts with a 6.52 ERA, 1.9 BB/9, and 7.9 SO/9 through 38 2/3 innings.

In his place, Markel will assume Hernández’s roster spot and step into a bullpen role. The 28-year-old inked a minor league pact with the Mariners last September and impressed in his first month of Double-A and Triple-A ball, where he put up a cumulative 0.52 ERA, 3.6 BB/9, and 18.2 SO/9 in 17 1/3 innings. Things didn’t go nearly as smoothly during his major league debut on Sunday, when he took the ball from Marco Gonzales in the bottom of the fifth and promptly gave up two runs on a Chavis two-run single.

Ohtani homers twice, including career longest at 459 feet, Angels beat White Sox 12-5

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CHICAGO — Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5.

Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.

“Those are the guys you lean on,” manager Phil Nevin said. “They can certainly put the team on their backs and carry us and that’s what they did today.”

Ohtani drove a first-pitch fastball from Lance Lynn (4-6) just to left of straightaway center in the third, where the ball was dropped by a fan who tried to glove it. That 425-foot drive put the Angels ahead 4-1.

Lynn didn’t even bother to turn and look when Ohtani hit a full count fastball more than a dozen rows over the bullpen in right-center in the fourth. The two-way Japanese star is batting .269 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs to go along with a 5-1 record and 2.91 ERA.

“I’m feeling good right now,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I’m putting good swings on pitches I should be hitting hard.”

Ohtani increased his career total to 13 multihomer games with his first this season.

Trout pulled a hanging curve for his 13th home run. Ward hit a two-run homer against Jesse Scholtens in the seventh and Chad Wallach, pinch hitting for Ohtani, had a solo homer in the ninth off Garrett Crochet.

“Usually when that happens, we’re in a good spot to win,” Trout said.

Trout and Ohtani have homered in the same game for the fifth time this season. The Angels hit a pair of 450-foot or more home runs in the same game for the first time since Statcast started tracking in 2015.

Lynn allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55. He has given up 15 home runs, one short of the major league high of Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles. Lynn had won his previous three starts.

“It seemed like he didn’t get away with any today,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man.”

Jaime Barria (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

Los Angeles won two of three from the White Sox after being swept by Miami last weekend.

Jake Burger homered for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Burger hit his 11th homer in the ninth and Hanser Alberto had a two run double off Tucker Davidson.

Chicago’s Romy Gonzalez, who’d homered in three straight games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

THE NATURALS

Twenty-three people became naturalized U.S. citizens during a pregame swearing-in behind home plate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Trout fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fourth but remained in the game.

White Sox: INF Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) and RHP Mike Clevinger (right wrist inflammation) are close to returning but Grifol wouldn’t elaborate on either player’s status.

UP NEXT

Angels: Reid Detmers (0-4, 4.93) starts Thursday’s series opener at Houston against fellow LHP Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38).

White Sox: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener against visiting Detroit, which starts RHP Reese Olson in his major league debut. Olson is 2-3 with a 6.38 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Toledo.